Prehistoric Cavemen of North America

Paleo-Indians, Clovis, Folsom and pre-Clovis... the American cavemen

(8th edition - October 2012) by A.O. Kime for information on
'renting' this article, see Rent-a-Article

While little is known about human antiquity in North America, perhaps
a few things could be added which can further characterize the earliest peoples
on this continent... who they were and where they came from. Since the term 'cavemen'
commonly refers to any unidentified group of ancient people existing before recorded
history, as is the case when referring to the Stone Age
in Asia, Europe and Africa, it seems appropriate the term 'cavemen' be
applicable to North and South America as well. After all, even though the term
is somewhat misleading, suggesting an unwavering lifestyle, it is flexible
enough to mean humans... not races as the archaeological term 'Paleo-Indians'
suggests when referring to North and South America.

Even though the term "Paleo-Indians" doesn't conjure up visions of
perennial cave-dwellers - effectively dispensing with the mistaken idea - it can
only embody 'indians'. In any case, by whatever name, it seems doubtful there was
much difference in their daily lives. While assuredly both resorted to living in
caves during foul weather... but due to the smoke from heating and cooking fires, it
is doubtful caves were their first choice as a primary residence. In this respect,
the Neanderthal were likely no different. Of course,
one can always create more appropriate terms to accommodate new revelations which
seem looming on the horizon.

While the indigenous inhabitants of North American were first thought to be
Indians (of India), it was only because the 15th century Spanish and Portuguese
explorers initially thought America was India. Nonetheless the name stuck and
these people have been called 'indians' ever since. Yet, even though we know
better today... that these 'indians' are of Asian descent (not from India), it
isn't known for certain whether all the indigenous peoples of North America were
of Asian descent or closely related enough to be lumped together. It was perhaps
premature for science to call them all 'Paleo-Indians'.

Considered by most anthropologists as the first group of arrivals, it is believed
the 'Clovis people' came from Asia about 11,500 years ago (circa 9,500 B.C.)
and their culture lasted for about 500-1000 years. They are associated with the
large fluted spear-points which were occasionally found... the first being near
Clovis, New Mexico in 1932. Following the Clovis were the 'Folsom people' (circa
8,000 B.C.) who were noted for their smaller and thinner fluted spear-points first
found in 1926 near Folsom, New Mexico.

However, there should be some skepticism the Clovis and Folsom were different
peoples. Since the older and larger spear points closely coincide with the
disappearance of the mammoth towards the end of the Ice Age... the absence of
these particular Stone Age tools (weapons) seems
only to say they were no longer needed. Yet, overshadowing any disagreement is
the fact there may be older prehistoric groups who trekked into North America
before the last Ice Age.

Due to some recent discoveries by amateur archaeologists thought to be very
ancient (older than Clovis), currently in vogue among them is the term
'pre-Clovis'. In 1987, several bird-shaped artifacts
were found not yet associated with any known civilization. However, in what should
be exciting news for any archaeologist, a revelation, being a possible breakthrough
in discovering more about antiquity in North America, unfortunately these finds have
been ignored by the archaeological community. Knowing of no other explanation, their
lack of cooperation is seemingly because they weren't in charge of the excavation.
It wasn't their baby. In the meantime, radiocarbon-dating of these finds goes begging.

Whether this is typical conduct or not is unknown but it took seven years before the partially
mummified hadrosaur
found in North Dakota by a teenager in 2000 was revealed. It turned out to be
the most complete dinosaur yet known. Suggesting perhaps it is typical, but not
necessarily exclusively so, standing by the teenager's side in a TV interview
was a paleontologist from the University of Manchester in Britain (conspicuously
absent and gone unmentioned in this TV interview were any of his counterparts from
America).

At any rate, it has been commonly accepted as scientific fact that the earliest
inhabitants of North America migrated here from Asia via the Bering Land Bridge once
connecting, or closely connecting, Asia and North America. Until recently, it was
unanimously thought this occurred during the last Ice Age, or about 11,000 years
ago... but increasingly we hear of renegade archaeologists who believe people (or
Paleo-Indians) arrived in North America much earlier, or about 35,000-40,000
years ago. However, there is little evidence of this beyond the
human
footprints in central Mexico believed by some to be 40,000 years old. Due
to the perils which assuredly kept the ancient populations low, it may be awhile
before evidence is found to substantiate this older date. Yet, if for not being
ignored, perhaps the bird-shaped artifacts could.

Recent Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome studies seem to suggest
these ‘Asian origin’ theories are correct but anthropological genetics is a
fairly new field and more research and a larger data base is admittedly needed.
Uncertainty remains because of the variables involved, especially because of the
unknown mating habits in ancient times. While we’ve been cautioned not to draw
too much from DNA findings just yet, so far it appears American Indians have
five distinctive DNA differences suggesting they came from five different areas
within Asia... also see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_American_genetic_studies

Despite these findings there is now a growing belief among some scholars
that at least some of these ancient peoples were Caucasians. The 8,400 year-old
Kennewick Man discovered in 1996 in Washington
State was thought by many to be Caucasian but, in that scientists were unable to
retrieve DNA for analysis, by default it was determined by the Secretary of the
Interior that he was an 'American Indian'. Since this was seemingly done for political
reasons to satisfy tribal interests, it didn't squash the contrary belief. The tribal
desire to possess the remains for re-burial purposes was seemingly to thwart any
chance of a reassessment. It might put their 'native' status in jeopardy...
of many benefits.

Getting at the Stone Age truth

In order to determine the true origins of these 'prehistoric cavemen' in North
America, it has been suggested one should use a combination of information sources
and not just rely on one or two. One such information source would be the surviving
language (or particular words) of a people but science has never established
linguistic phyla (its origins) as certain. It is based largely on 'best guess'. It is
interesting to note that if based on linguistics alone, it could be said some American
Indians were indeed ‘Indians’ after all... from the subcontinent of India. On the
Viewzone website
it is claimed by the author of the book "Journey to Baboquivari" that some
southwestern tribes have words suggesting Hindu origins. This ties in, he states, with
the Hindu belief that in 1,500 B.C. the Indians (from India) traversed the world and
'conquered' North and South America.

There is also a very good article written about the
Paleo-Indians on
the Desert USA website even though it is largely speculation (although typical of a
pre-historic analysis by anyone). It could be fairly accurate in many respects but may have
underestimated the sophistication of these ancient people. Likewise their well-written
article entitled Mogollon - Their
Magic. While it references a people called 'Mogollons' who, the article claims,
once lived around the Mogollon Rim (pronounced 'mug-eon' locally) in central Arizona, one
should keep in mind that no such tribe called the 'Mogollon' ever existed. As is
the case with the Clovis and Folsom peoples who were named after towns, they were
peoples (otherwise unknown) named after the Mogollon mountain range which was
earlier named after Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollon, a Spanish colonial governor (New
Mexico, 1712-1715). Their article wasn't meant to be misleadingly however, it was just
using anthropological terminology. However, as was the case surrounding the builders
of Montezuma Castle, most all ancient tribal names
were 'invented' by the archeological community (largely dismissing tribal accounts).

As to the spiritual side of these Paleo-Indians, in a colorful
fashion an unknown author wrote:

" While the ruins of their villages and the flotsam and jetsam of
their lives tell us much about how the Mogollons sheltered, clothed, provisioned
and defended themselves, the images on stone, the sites for celestial watches,
the caches of sacred objects, and the paintings on ceramic vessels give us only
the vaguest notion about how they nourished their souls."

While not nearly as colorful, perhaps the following will help characterize it
further. The spiritual relationship prehistoric cavemen had with nature - and
thus with the pervasive Divine presence - was exceedingly intense. One might say
it was similar to the intenseness of a bodhisattva
or as required in order to be in contact with divine
intelligence. Cavemen had to contend with the harshest of conditions
which further enables one to acquire and maintain a spiritual relationship.
While a harsh environment isn't absolutely necessary, no more than depression or
hopelessness, it serves as the catalyst. An American Indian 'sweathouse' is an example
of one way to invoke this particular frame-of-mind... but obtainable in other
controlled environments as well. Of course, cavemen didn't need sweathouses.

Speculation about the capabilities of ancient man?

Even though little is known about the earliest inhabitants of North America,
perhaps common sense can fill in some blanks... at least make room for some
likelihoods. Even though the possibility some originated in India is not as
conceivable as having originated in Asia, it's still conceivable. It is also
conceivable Europeans crossed the Bering Land Bridge or even that some groups
reached American in ocean-going vessels because the capabilities of ancient
man were far greater than they’ve been given credit. Assuredly, there were
always pockets of 'cavemen' quite advanced for the Stone Age. Due to the
constant standard-of-living during the Stone Age, it could have happened
just as easily 200,000 years ago as it could 10,000 or 30,000 years ago.
After all, there was virtually no differences. There isn’t any reason why
advanced societies, however isolated and small, could not occur and the
reasons why they probably did occur are further demonstrated in my
article Antiquity - Cavemen and the Stone Age.

While most of the earliest inhabitants of North America probably did come
from eastern Asia, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn some came from western
Asia, India, Europe, Africa, South America (indirectly) and perhaps even Australia.
A more refined study of the genetic makeup of the American Indians living today
(especially the mid-American tribes) ought to contain the proof... at least enabling
science to arrive at the most likely percentages of this diversity.

Whoever they were however, their manner of living in America would not
necessarily reflect that of their homeland. In other words, unfamiliar territory
may have forced a difference if a group failed to reestablish their old habits
(or standard of living) within two or three generations. There could have been
incidences of regression. Old methods and habits would become 'unlearned' if
they failed to locate resources they previously depended upon..

Of course, all this is just speculation since early man kept no records... largely
because mankind saw no need for recordkeeping during the Stone Age. Except for the
ancient Egyptians, keeping historical records was a late-blooming idea often
credited to Herodotus. In that prehistoric man did
not provide a historical record does not mean he was not capable however. If he
thought it was critical, although it wasn't, he would have found a way.

While not much history can be chiseled out in stone (petroglyphs) or painted
on rocks (pictographs), it was also a question of what was worthwhile to record.
After all, wolves attack, volcanoes erupt, snow falls and people die... so what?
Considering humans have a memory, the idea of recording events must have seemed
redundant. Further, in order to record history, a system to determine dates
(calendar) would be necessary and was probably considered just another
impractical concept... abstract and unnatural. There were more important things
to do initially. Furthermore, one needed a written language
either hieroglyphic or one with a pronounceable alphabet which didn't occur until
3,000 B.C.

A typical North American caveman?

For the sake of discovering likelihoods, let's create a short story and assume
there were Caucasians who arrived in North America and make one of them our ‘typical
caveman’. After all, there's no mystery how Asians came to North America whereas there
would be for Europeans. While we're at it, let’s also picture him someway.

While apparently most ancient people were smaller than the people living today
- diet perhaps being the main reason - it has been determined some prehistoric cavemen
were six foot tall. To describe an individual strong enough to make such a long journey,
he was probably a little taller than average so let’s say our caveman was 5’9” and
healthy. Let’s also buck the presumptuous and gruesome archaeological depictions and make
him handsome. Even though he was a Caucasian, he and his group likely lived in Asia for
a time, perhaps several generations. If it was longer than 2-3 generations, the
likelihood exists some of them took a native for a mate and therefore some
of their clan would have Asian blood.

All along, for whatever reason his clan was in Asia, he and his group likely
had no idea what really laid beyond the Bering Land Bridge, the vastness. They
may have known a least some land existed beyond this bridge from tribal tales or
personally knew if they had previously hunted in what is now known as Alaskan
territory. Perhaps they even teamed up with some Asians on these hunting trips.
As time passed, and being effectively foreigners in Asian territory, of a
different race, they were probably poorly treated at times by at least some of
the Asians, or persecuted, or perhaps driven into isolation. There could have
been violent confrontations. For whatever worthwhile justification, at some
point he and his clan decided to cross the Bering Land Bridge in search of new
territory to settle.

From the annual migrations of birds, they knew south was the direction to go
for a more temperate winter. They also knew it could be a dangerous
undertaking, not knowing what to expect. There could be vicious tribes to
contend with, a shortage of game and numerous other unknown dangers. This
suggests their circumstances within Asia were bad enough to take the
chance. They would have trekked southerly hugging the Alaskan coastline as much as
they could for a continual supply of food. It would have been a daily routine of
walking at a comfortable pace then camping each night. Weather permitting, there
was no great need to stop unless someone was ailing.

As days turned into weeks and as they begin to tire, some clans would have
decided they had gone far enough and stayed at various promising locations.
Others, if the physical condition of their clan allowed, would have continued
going south. For some, it was a race against time to get as far south as
possible before winter and making it into southern Canada or even Oregon and
California was not improbable but, by choice, many may not have done that. There
would have been several places along the way they deemed suitable. Or, perhaps
disillusioned with the rough terrain which lie ahead, or having seen nothing better,
they may have even backtracked on occasion to a good spot they remembered.

After the ancient cavemen arrived in America

He and his fellow prehistoric cavemen are now in California and, being totally
committed, will try to call it home. Discovering not much familiar, the vegetation
and game being somewhat different as well, they must quickly find a way to adapt.
Until they did adapt to this new environment, they would have stayed close to the
ocean for a food source. If their reason for leaving Asia was because of confrontations
with other clans, it was a great relief to finally feel safe. Isolated now, it could
have been a time of great joy and happiness.

Within a year or two they would have figured out how to kill or trap some
types of game and were becoming acquainted with the nut and fruit bearing trees.
Seeds they brought from Asia would have been planted but probably few germinated
or survived in this largely unfamiliar seasonally-different climate. Finding
methods to kill a wider range of game was always under study but they soon
learned a Grizzly bear was not to be fooled with.

In that they would recognize star formations offered some comfort. It was a
relief to see anything familiar, after all, they trekked so far. After about
two years and feeling more comfortable with the new territory, it was starting
to feel like home. Yet, they would still have some problems adapting. They
would have been frustrated not being able to make pots as durable as they
once knew. With the different soils, it may have taken 10-20 years before
they discovered an acceptable mud-mix. The trees were different and
thus the wood. Different animal hides would require a different method of
patching them together to make clothing. Until they could figure something out,
they were probably unhappy with their first attempts. There would have been
incidences of diarrhea from something new they tried to eat and with the warmer
climate food poisoning likely occurred. It may have been awhile before they realized
what was causing their severe skin rashes (poison oak) as well. All along though,
they were enjoying a more ideal climate, good hunting, the familiar stars and
the good-'ol sun and moon.

After several years had passed, our caveman was finally adapting to his new
surroundings. No longer was he feeling like a stranger in this land. With
plentiful game, he was now well-fed and his living conditions were getting more
comfortable each year... so he was relatively happy. It was a time to know total
freedom firsthand, to ponder life, to be in awe of the
star-filled heavens, lightning and thunder. It was a time of unabated wonderment
and a time men knew the full extent of every human emotion including panic and fear.
He also knew pain and hunger. He was, essentially, more human than we.

All along however, cavemen had absolutely no idea how developed mankind would
become. As far as the prehistoric cavemen knew, the lifestyle of man and his
circumstances would never change... nature suggested this. The population
centers of future civilizations could not be imagined then. So for small clans,
it wasn’t the time to consider reading, writing and arithmetic or planning for
such a future. It wasn’t really necessary then anyway and it certainly wasn’t a
time when recording history would make sense. A different mentality existed
then... it something happened, it probably happened before and will probably
happen again... so why record it?

The things deemed necessary today for a civilized society would be idiotic
concepts for small isolated groups of people, especially if they preferred being
isolated. It only makes sense for large concentrations. However savage
the era, the Stone Age was a time to ponder and create an opinion on gravity,
leverage, aerodynamics, astronomy, the human anatomy and every other department
of science. Yes, even aerodynamics... for example, the effects of wind on a
particular shape of a leaf were noted. Of course, there were the birds. The
prehistoric cavemen were, in fact, every bit as intellectually capable as modern
man and when spiritually assisted, more-so. They also smiled, laughed, cried,
felt sadness, joy and excitement. More than anyone since, cavemen knew what living
meant.

Based on events throughout history we could be relatively certain that even
in the Stone Age it was often disastrous for outnumbered clans trying to defend
themselves or their territory. Assuredly outnumbered, the Caucasians may have
been effectively annihilated by the Asian tribes. Yet, some of these Caucasian
clans could have lived in the west for as long as a century or two, maybe even
longer. Some may have migrated (or were driven) to the Great Plains, the Flint
Hills of Kansas and to Oklahoma territory. But since they weren’t successful in
firmly establishing themselves suggests their numbers were never sufficient,
meaning their stay was probably short. It also suggests the Asians were the first
to arrive, who, like anyone else then, would unlikely allow strangers to establish
themselves. Had the Caucasians arrived first, long enough to establish their numbers,
then the Asians would have been denied instead. Had that occurred, many of our
'natives' would then be blonds.